In like a Lamb...

Well, March has arrived - we've had a few warm days, but we woke up this morning to 2 inches of fresh snow - Riley LOVED it! Thank goodness I hadn't taken him to get his summer haircut yet. The picture is Riley "naked" after last years summer haircut! I have him trimmed down to the hair length of a lab - not shaved, as their skin is just as susceptible to sunburn as ours. But, the shorter hair makes him much more comfortable - and makes my life much easier when he starts swimming at my parent's cottage - which he has been ready to do all winter!

Goodbye Sweet Honey

We lost our beautiful Honey on Saturday, December 20, 2008 from cancer. Honey was the ambassador of golden retrievers - soft, loving, and obedient - a true golden angel. She is in our hearts always. Here is my homage to Honey:

She had the brightest eyes I had ever seen,

And wore a beautiful fur coat that would out shine a queen .

She was never prissy but walked with an aire......

And oh so polite, you could take her most anywhere.

Her tail was so long it touched the ground,

Every bone that she buried, she always found,

She could run like the wind and beat anyone she chased

She was truly a princess – with a gorgeous white face.

But your bed is now empty, where your pretty head laid.

Oh how we wish you could have stayed,

You could not find a golden nearly so dear.

Sweet Honey-buns, you will always have a special place in our hearts, ever near.

The "Girls"

HONEY a.k.a. Honey Bunney, Honey Buns, Honey Bunches of Oats, Sweet Princess, Princess Honey (10-year old FEMALE golden)

Turn ons: Dog beds, brushings, food, putting stuffed toys to bed, squirrels

Turn offs: Puppies, not getting food, bed-hogs

Honey’s easy. She loves sleeping and taking short walks. But, bring lots of bags; you’ll need them - Honey is compelled to "go" every times her feet touch grass. If you encounter dogs on your walks, feel free to steer Honey in their direction for greetings.

MABEL a.k.a. Mae-Mae, Mabes, Rat fink (7-9??yr old cocker spaniel)

Turn ons: Females, food, her box (crate), tennis balls, toys with ropes

Turn offs: Males, car doors shutting, any kind of noise (even if you can’t hear it)

Mabel has a great sense of hearing - she can hear a car door slam in a driveway 3 blocks away. My neighbor loves Mabel.

My Main Man

RILEY a.k.a. Ri-Ruby, Riley-Roo, Ri-Boom booms, Big Man (82lb, 6-yr old MALE golden)

Turn ons: Food, Toys, bumping people with toys, Food, barking at ANYTHING (especially African Americans with umbrellas, other male dogs, horses, and bicycles - oh, and cars from a distance - up close they're ok, but from far away, not so much).

Turn offs: The absence of food, Getting his ears cleaned, not being allowed to beg/eat people food, other male dogs – especially black ones.

Riley has some behavioral issues that I don't like to discuss because it highlights my shortcomings as a dog parent. The main issue is one of dominance. Riley is under the impression that he is actually the head of our household. The result of this misunderstanding is a dog that won't walk on a leash. Instead he pulls me at a furious pace, up and down the street, side to side or in any direction that strikes his fancy. Even more disheartening – Riley doesn't get excited when he sees other dogs. He runs up to them and aggressively barks at them. The other dog owners look at me, some in sympathy but others in annoyance as if to say, "Can't you see that your dog is ruining the walk for all the other well behaved dogs?" Yes, I know...my dog isn't correctly "socialized".
I took Riley to 4 different trainers to confront his problems. I was amazed to see him walking perfectly in step next to the dog trainer in a matter of minutes. It was suggested by one trainer that the problem isn't really with my dog. It was suggested that there was not enough discipline, a lack of consistency and a misconception on our part that Riley is my child when he is really a DOG. Everyone always blames the mother...